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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27499135">apples are bound to rot no matter how you store them</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/marisbars/pseuds/marisbars'>marisbars</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Break Up, Drifting Apart, F/F, F/M, Mention of sex, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Post-Break Up, Realistic, Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 02:34:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27499135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/marisbars/pseuds/marisbars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I am bad at summaries. Basically I got the feels to write this when I was listening to the below songs, so you can listen to them while reading i guess,,,,?</p><p>Can't Help Falling In Love - Haley Reinhart<br/>Already Gone - Sleeping At Last<br/>A Soulmate Who Wasn't Meant To Be - Jess Benko<br/>You Were Good To Me - Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>apples are bound to rot no matter how you store them</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was always in the summer. In those seemingly endless nights where neither of you could sleep because you had too much caffeine in the evening and his thoughts were too preoccupied with burdensome thoughts of his work, both of you would lie in bed planning the different activities to do under the sun. One particular night was no different - you suggested a picnic under that huge apple tree in the park ten minutes away from your house; he agreed and suggested a romantic stroll along the lake after.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you know that apples are part of the rose family?” he started. Kuroo Tetsurou, the big nerd. Always ready to feed you interesting albeit slightly useless facts about the most random subjects.</p><p> </p><p>“Together with pears, apricots, plums…” he continued.</p><p> </p><p>“Will you give me a bouquet of apples instead of roses next time then?” You huddled closer to him and laid your head on his chest, absentmindedly tracing your fingers along his skin.</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled and rested his hand on your head. “I get to charm the love of my life AND keep her healthy at the same time? It’s a promise.”</p><p> </p><p>As he continued to ramble on about the nutritional facts of different fruits, you started to zone out. At that point, you could only focus on two things: the sound of his heart beating through his chest and, the warmth of his hand as he gently weaved his fingers through your hair. It was in this moment that you vividly remembered thanking the heavens for your luck; Kuroo Tetsurou is beautiful, smart, basically the most amazing person you’ve ever met, and he was holding you in his embrace. You were so incredibly lucky.</p><p> </p><p>The wedding was held in the summer too. It was a simple one - only the closest family members were invited, along with three or four friends from each side. Kuroo had always wanted to hold it at the beach. You had remarked that the heat would be unbearable and sand would get <em> everywhere </em>, and he had quietly replied with a “yes, I guess it would be,” but you knew the wish had never left his heart. </p><p> </p><p>You mused at the scene before you. It turned out to be a beautiful sight after all, in spite of the minimal decor and the small crowd. Kuroo wasn’t the type to make excessively grand actions. Despite his cool, laidback attitude, he was surprisingly awkward; he avoided doing things that drew too much attention. He had never shown up with a box of chocolates and a hundred flowers for any date, choosing only to give you gifts in the comfort of your home. He had never stood on top of the edge of a building and shouted into the wind about how much he loved you, but he had lightly scrawled it along your palm with a finger as you intertwined your hand with his. Kuroo’s love was soft and muted, but you felt it. You felt it when he kissed your forehead before you slept every night. You felt it when he slow-danced with you in the middle of his kitchen as the radio played. You felt love in the little glances he gave you as you sat across him at the restaurant eating your meal. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> So where did it all go so wrong? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>As you sat tight-lipped with your hands clenched in the first row of seats, you couldn’t help but hold back your tears. People always rushed for the front rows whenever it came to theatre performances and roller coaster rides. It was the perfect view - you’d be able to see everything unfold before you as clear as day. Would they then jump at the chance to have that same view at the wedding of the person they love but would never have again?</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo Tetsurou stood on the makeshift stage in front of you, nervously looking in your direction. But he wasn’t looking at <em> you </em>. Oh no, he wasn’t. You watched his eyes light up as his bride walked down the aisle; the same way his eyes used to whenever he looked at you many chapters ago in his life. You saw him shed a tear.</p><p> </p><p>When was the last time you made him cry?</p><p> </p><p>-----------------</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you like this? Why are you <em> always </em> like this?” </p><p> </p><p>“Me? Take a look at <em> yourself </em>, Tetsurou. You hardly even come home anymore. I know you’re busy with work, but staying at the office for days, not replying to my texts - not even a ‘good night, I’m safe’? I was worried about you, did you even think about that?”</p><p> </p><p>“I really can’t deal with this right now. I’m tired.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s what you always say.”</p><p> </p><p>The night ended with Kuroo sleeping alone in his bed with his back facing the door, and you sitting on the living room couch messily attempting to wipe away tears that just wouldn’t stop flowing. You despised yourself for losing control of your emotions and you hated the small, nagging feeling at the back of your mind convincing yourself that your lover didn’t care for your distress. But when you heard a soft sobbing from behind the bedroom door, it was as if the first raindrops of a brewing storm had finally fallen: on one hand, there was the reassurance of mutual love, which washed over your heart like a violent wave; on the other, there was the promise of a tumultuous hurricane that threatened to destroy everything the both of you had built for the past few years.</p><p> </p><p>-----------------</p><p> </p><p>That was the last time you remembered making Kuroo cry. The nights were quiet after that, but only because you saw each other less. There was something about silently drifting apart as opposed to an explosive break-up after a huge fight. It was more painful, definitely. You’d realize that he’d stop sending you good morning texts like he used to, and you’d slowly start to notice that increasing gap between your bodies when you’re both lying in bed at night. The usual summer planning stopped- no. The usual planning for <em> anything at all </em> stopped.</p><p> </p><p>It was like watching five years of memories turn into dust before your very eyes.</p><p> </p><p>But the silence wasn’t even the worst part - it was the wondering. It was you staring at your phone for the thousandth time, knowing that he would text you if he actually wanted to. It was wondering if he would be happier without you.</p><p> </p><p>When did he stop looking <em> at you </em> and start looking <em> through you </em>? When did he realize that his and your hands didn’t actually fit perfectly together? Was it because you weren’t pretty enough? Because you weren’t loving enough? </p><p> </p><p>You recalled that one time you forgot it was your anniversary; he looked indifferent, assured you that “it was nothing”. You didn’t respond, but watched as he poured coffee into his mug. That mug was your birthday gift to him the first year you started dating. You were stressed from choosing the perfect present that you’d hope he’d like and ended up buying a generic design from a random gift shop at the last minute. It was embarrassing watching him open the present - you thought that he’d throw the ugly mug at you and ask you to bring him a better gift, but of course he didn’t. Kuroo, sweet as ever, told you that he would use it “till the day he dies”. You had a sudden thought that even if he did actually throw the mug at your face, you’d still think he was the sweetest person on earth.</p><p> </p><p>You were both so in love with each other. If he was the sun, then you’d be the planet that would gravitate closer as you orbit around him, not caring that his touch would burn. Likewise, if you were an uncontrollable storm, he’d be the fool who’d stand in the open without an umbrella, grinning as he feels your rain on his face. What you both had - how<em> dare </em> he say that it was nothing? </p><p> </p><p>You remember how much he loved to hug you from behind as you cooked your meals. How he smiled when the both of you talked about your future, as if the concept of forever was an attainable dream that lay right in your grasp. </p><p> </p><p>When he stopped kissing you during sex and saying ‘I love you’ after, you finally accepted that you were probably not the comfort he wanted or needed anymore. You knew that both of you weren’t content with the way things were, and <em> god </em>- you’d give up your fucking heart and soul if it meant that he would be happy. </p><p> </p><p>And so you let him go.</p><p> </p><p>-----------------</p><p> </p><p>Getting used to an empty house was the hardest part. You saw Kuroo in everything; the coffee machine he used every morning, the empty spaces in the closet where his clothes would have been, that corner of the bedroom he used to throw his dirty clothes into because he’d be too lazy to do the laundry on certain nights. You’d come back home after work and expect the usual “I missed you honey, how was your day?”, but would be greeted only with cold silence. </p><p> </p><p>But that’s fine. </p><p> </p><p>Even if it still aches to know of what could have been, how could you be selfish enough to keep Kuroo to yourself despite his hurt? Look at him now - he’s crying tears of joy as he gazes at his bride with a soft love you thought would be reserved for you only. </p><p> </p><p>That’s fine.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes it would turn out that a pair of lovers might not be meant for each other after all. Sometimes one might have to spend the rest of their life reaching their hand out into the abyss, grasping at thin air but finding nothing. </p><p> </p><p>Sometimes they might have to wait for the next summer to fall in love again.</p><p> </p><p>That’s fine.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The last time I wrote a fic was when I was 14, so I'm a little rusty :D Also this was supposed to be for angst week but I've been so busy, I only had time for 1 hour every night to write so I missed it ;_; I hope I can write longer pieces that may or may not be angst hehe.</p><p>Also, I would like to thank Aleitheia for helping to be a beta reader for this. I love you so much and I appreciate you. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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